DEATHS FROM DROWNING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22514, 23 September 1938, Page 18

DEATHS FROM DROWNING

PRESENT FACILITIES FOR INSTRUCTION

COMPULSORY TEACHING FOR CHILDREN SOUGHT

Grave concern at the number of deaths from drowning in New Zealand each year led to the passing of a remit at yesterday’s meeting of the conference of the Dominion Federation of the School Committees’ Associations of New Zealand, urging that swimming be made a compulsory subject in schools. The attention of the Government should be drawn, the conference also decided, to the “inadequate and dangerous swimming facilities at present ill use.”

Mr F. H. DephofT, of Christchurch, who sponsored the resolution, said that the number of children drowned in the school holidays each year was both lamentable and astounding. Adults as well as children were drowned, but if children were taught to swim at school, the ability gained then might be thejneans of saving their lives in years to come. The conference had discussed steps necessary to safeguard children on the roads, but, he contended, there were, proportionately to the opportunities, more deaths from drowning than from road accidents. The excellent work done by the Plunket Society gave children an excellent start in health, am’, instruction in swimming was an urgent need if young lives wore to be saved.

“Alarming State of Affairs”

Referring to a report previously before the conference, which discussed existing'swimming facilities for school children, Mr Dephoff said that it showed an alarming state of affairs.

“From Southland we hear that children are sometimes allowed to bathe in pools'that are not only dangerous but filthy. I am afraid, however, that Auckland is the worst culprit. Its death-rate from drowning is the highest in the Dominion.” The number uf good beaches round Auckland were a probable reason for that, he said. The report on which Mr DephotTs statement had been based was stated by members to be too comprehensive to be discussed in the dying stages of the conference, and it was agreed that copies of it should bo sent to associations for consideration, and that action in its regard be referred to the incoming Dominion executive.